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ROTARY ENGINE.

No. 323,038. Patented July 28, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE F. HODGES, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES E. PAINE, OF GROVELAND, AND GEORGE H. SPENCER, OF FITOHBURG, MASS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,038, dated Early 28, 1885.

Application filed December 10, 1883.

To all whom at may concern."

Be it known that l, HORACE F. HODGES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roston, (Chelsea) in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of engines wherein a piston is caused to rotate by the motive power, and is designed as an improvement upon an invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me January 30, 1883, No. 271,459. Experience has shown that the antifriction rollers in that device could not be made to continue to fit as tightly as desirable in their places, so that on the reciprocation of the gates the rollers are thrown more or less violently and noisily against the steam-chest. It was also not practicable to pack the outer ends of said gates where they passed into the steam-chest, so that they would not soon wear and cause leakage.

The object of this invention is to remedy these defects, and also to provide a more suitable steam-chest and reverse and inlet valve for the same. In order to do this, I substitute for the straight gates shown and described in the Patent No. 271,459 gates which are supported from points either above or below them (preferably below) by an arm or spoke attached to shafts parallel with the main shaft. Each gate forms an arc of a circle struck from the center of the shaft supporting the same, and consequently may be oscillated toward and from the center of the piston without being elevated or depressed. The two shafts carrying the gates are given a corresponding motion by means of cranks attached thereto and connected together at their outer ends by means of an adjustable connecting-rod, so that as one gate is moved out by the revolution of the piston the other gate is moved in a corresponding distance. The steam-chest is modified to suit this arrangement of gates, and contains improved forms of reverse and induction valves, as more fully hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through the cylinder, oscillating gates, and steam-chest of an engine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on (No model.)

the line at x of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical section taken on the line y y of Fig. 1.

A is the cylinder supported in a suitable frame. (Not shown in the drawings.)

B is the piston mounted on the shaft 0.

D D are gates, which are supported by arms or spokes D, to which they are rigidly attached. The lower ends of the spokes are each formed with an eye, through which pass the shafts E E, to which they are secured by set-screws or otherwise. The shafts E E pass through one or both sides of the steam-chests K K, and have attached to them cranks F F, projecting downward, the lower ends of which are connected together by means of wrist-pins I I and connecting-rod G G. The length of the connecting-rod can be adjusted by means of a right-and-left-hand nut, H, and when in the desired position secured by the check-nut H.- By this arrangement the gates D D are always kept in close contact with the periphery of the piston by means of packing-strips J J, extending across the top of the gates D D. The live steam in the cylinder is thus kept from any way commingling with the exhaust.

If desired, similar cranks and connectingrods may be employed atthe other ends of the shafts E E, so as to insure an even movement of the gates D.

K K are the steanrchests bolted to the cylinder, each containing a chamber in which is fitted the reverse-valve L, and a valve-well, N, in which is located the balance-valve M.

Surrounding one end of the valve-well is a passage, K, between which and said well lead the induction-ports n, situated in pairs opposite each other, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

The induction-valves are composed of short cylinders fitted with a cross-bar, to which the valve-rod M is attached, and are kept tight on their periphery by packing-rings m m, as shown in Fig. 3.

N is the induction-pipe, and P the exhaustpipe.

The operation is as follows: The reversevalves L being in the position shown in the drawings, and the induction-valve on the lefthand side'being closed and the right-hand one being open, steam is admitted by the pipes N into the valve-wells N, and passes through the open induction-valve M to and through the ports it into the steam-passage K, and thence into the steam-chests K, and from the steamchest on the right-hand side to the top of the cylinder through port Q into the cylinder, where it impinges against the periphery of the piston B, and causes it to revolve in the direction of the arrows one-third of a revolution, after which the exhaust-steam passes off through port Q, to the exhaust-pipe P. all in the direction of the arrows marked 1. Vhen the right-hand induction-valve is closed and the left-hand valve open, the steam passes, as before described, to the lefthand steanrchest K, and thence through port Q to the bottom of the left-hand side of the cylinder, and the exhauststeam passes off through the. port Q to the exhaust-pipe, all in the direction of the arrows marked 2, the gates D D, which divide the live from the exhaust steam in the cylinder, being always kept close against the periphery of the piston B by means of the shafts E, cranks F, connectingrod G GT, and nut H, as before described. \Vhen it is desired to reverse the engine, the reverse-valve on the right hand side of the cylinder is raised and the opposite valvelowered, which is done by a suitable lever connected to the rods L.

By the above-described arrangement the oscillation of the gates is effected with muchless friction, and they are held more steadily in their positions. The packing at their outer ends is also more effective and their hearing on the piston more easily adjusted. By the new form of steam-chest larger ports are obtained, and the valve-rods are so placed as to be easily operated from the main shaft. The arcs of the cylinder in which the piston-abutment travels above and below is shortened, so that the steam is not retained after the following abutment comes in contact with it.

The machine occupies much less room, has fewer working parts exposed, and accidents to the attendant therefrom are thereby avoided.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. in combination with the cylinder A, shaft 0, and piston B, the gates D, supported by arms or spokes D, shafts 1*], cranks F,

and connecting-rod G G, substantially as and t for the purpose described.

2. In combination, the cylinder A, shaft C and piston B, gates D, supported by arms D, shafts E, cranks F, connecting-rod G- G, and the nuts H H, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the cylinder A, shaft 0, piston B, gates D, fitted with packingpieces J, arms or spokes D, shafts E, cranks F, connecting-rod G G, and steam-chest K, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name .to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HORACE F. HODGES.

lVitnesses.

Jos. H. Animus, E. PLANTA. 

